Lazy Day Lounge Pants Tutorial

I am so excited to be a part of a special Surprise Sewing Challenge by a New York fabric retailer called Pins & Needles. {Don’t you love the name!} They sent me a beautifully wrapped package of fabric, buttons, and ribbon and challenged me to create something wonderful.

I created these LAZY DAY LOUNGE PANTS for my girls…and of course, I had created a tutorial just for you! These are seriously the easiest pants EVER! If you are intimidated thinking of sewing pants, you should start with this tutorial! It will take you an uninterrupted hour. {I saw uninterrupted because I have 3 kids and I know what it is like to sit down to sew something.}

Supply List:

1 1/2 yards of MAIN fabric

1/4 yard for HEM and WAIST

other sewing essentials (serger, sewing machine, thread, etc.)

a pair of pants that fit your little one

3/4” elastic

The Pattern:

To create the pattern for my 4 year old, I acted like her leggings were her body and added the space around her legs that I thought would be over-sized and comfortable. I wanted the pants to be straight legged…not tapered or bell-bottom. Remember, we are going for “lounge” pants, not dress pants.

After calculating a 1/2” seam allowance, here are my final measurements:

Fold the fabric twice and cut the “pattern” once, which gives you 4 MAIN pieces.

Next cut your trim pieces for the hem and waist band:

4 strips at 8”x3” for the hem.

4 strips at 6 1/2” x 4” for the waist band

Now that you have all your fabric cut, let’s sew!

First, grab the trim pieces for the hem (8”x3”) and the 4 MAIN body pieces. Place one of the hem pieces at the bottom of each of the four MAIN leg pieces, right sides together. Pin and sew…or serge. {If you are not using a serger, just do a zigzag stitch along the raw edge to stop the fabric from fraying in the wash.} Press the seam flat and move on to the waist band.

Do the waistband pieces (6 1/2” x 4”) the exact same way as you did the hem pieces. Press the waistband flat.

Put two MAIN pieces right sides together, making sure the seams of the waistbands and hems match. Pin the inseam and sew/serge. Open rights and press flat.

Add 1/8” top stitch to ensure the pants lay nice and smooth.

Now you have two large (weird-looking) pieces. Place them right sides together and pin the middle arch. When you sew the arch, straighten is out like the bottom right picture. Try to just sew a straight line right through. Back stitch in the middle the secure it better.

Now, make them look like pants putting the seams you just sewed wrong sides together and press the seam flat. Add 1/8” top stitch and turn them right sides together again (just like the picture below).

Time to sew the sides together. Make sure the seams of the hem line up then pin the sides. Sew/serge up the sides. Turn right side out and iron the seams.

Let’s do the waistband. {Almost done!} Turn the pants wrong side out.

Turn the raw edge down an inch. Iron flat and turn down again matching the edge to the serged seam at the bottom of the band.

Press the band really well with a hot iron and pin in place. Make sure to mentally mark a “no sew zone” where you will insert the elastic for the waistband later. Start at one pin and sew 1/4” seam securing the band stopping when you get to the last pin.

Measure your little one around the waist keeping the elastic a bit tight. Cut the piece of elastic, insert a safety pin in one end and insert it into the “no sew zone” you left in the waistband. Work the safety pin down gradually pulling the elastic through. When both sides of the elastic meet again, overlap about 1/4” and zigzag stitch a couple of times to secure.

Tuck the elastic back in and sew up the “no sew zone.” Now the waistband is complete.

Time to hem to legs!

This is done similarly to the waistband. With wrong side out, fold the hem piece in half and then in half again. Press flat, pin and stitch 1/4” seam around the edge.

Turn right side out. Iron out the wrinkles and put them on your little one!

These are supe cute and comfy! How do you think they would work made from fleece? My little girl fell in love with some pink strawberry print fleece at our local fabric store the other day and I’m trying to decide what to make with it. Thanks!

Great tutorial, I’m in the process of making my boys each a pair! I’m new to sewing though and I need a little bit more explanation about the top stitch instruction. Where do I do it? Over the crease? Thanks!!

Mandy, I am so sorry I haven’t replied to you yet. I just saw your question.To top-stitch I turn the fabric to the wrong side and iron the seam to one side. Then on the right side of the fabric I top-stitch (a 1/8″ stitch) on top of the seam. This just completes the look and holds the seam together better. I hope I explained that ok. I will post a tutorial on top-stitching by the end of the week. It seems to be a popular question.

You just saved me! I had a pattern and not enough fabric…according to the pattern. Then I remembered this tutorial that I had “pinned”. PERFECT! They are awesome and adorable and I had enough fabric too!